Cyclone Ockhi damage may run to Rs 1,000 crore in Tamil Nadu

The damage to crops, fishermen boats and hutments in other districts are still under enumeration”, a top state official said.

Another major head of expenditure will be for local bodies to repair the interior roads

Chennai: Tamil Nadu has incurred a loss of more than Rs 1,000 crore because of Cyclone Ockhi and the heavy monsoon downpour that inundated the southern districts of Tamil Nadu. “By now the state has spent more than Rs 100 crore on relief, rehabilitation and restoration of power supply in the cyclone-hit districts of Kanyakumari and Tirunelveli.

The damage to crops, fishermen boats and hutments in other districts are still under enumeration”, a top state official said.

The damage to infrastructure will be major expenditure to the state and the departments including PWD, highways and electricity board have been asked to furnish the details of the damage to their infrastructure and it is expected by the end of the year. However, the repair work will be taken up only after the end of the monsoon. At present, the focus is on rehabilitating the rescued fisherman and helping them to rebuild their livelihood and by next week the focus will shift towards the farmers. Heavy damage had also been reported in plantations and hill terrains, the official noted.

Earlier this week, the chief minister allocated Rs 25 crore and this amount was mostly used to provide solatium for the bereaving family members of persons who had died during the floods and cyclone. Another major head of expenditure will be for local bodies to repair the interior roads

“A detailed report with inputs from state disaster management department will be complied for the reference and the same will be shared with the Centre seeking funds”, said another official adding that during 2015 floods and 2016 cyclone Vardah, the Centre released funds. The Centre's relief funds are usually peanuts when compared to the actual damage, but such funds are essential for a debt-ridden state like Tamil Nadu, the official added.